A fishing reel of the spinning-reel type generally comprises a support structure which can be mounted on the rod, a line-guide member which is mounted upon a rotor mounted on the support for rotation about an axis and includes a bail which can be swung between a casting position and a line takeup position, a mechanism including a crank for rotating this guide member when the bail is swung into the line takeup position, and a spool which is generally fixed on the support, but may be capable of some rotation relative thereto upon excessive loading.
In the operation of such a reel, a line which is wound on the spool is permitted to pass freely over the end of the spool when the bail has been swung into its casting position so that the line can be cast freely by the angler without impediment and the rotatable guide can remain stationary.
For line takeup, the bail is swing into its line-takeup position which guides the line into the reel laterally and the rotating guide member is rotated by the crank to wind the line on the stationary spool.
A brake can be provided between the spool and the support to permit some rotation of the spool when an excess load is placed on the line and the brake force is overcome.
Generally, to set the hook in a fish which may have taken the bait, one immobilizes the rotating member and draws back on the rod with a reasonably sharp motion serving to lodge the hook in the fish.
However, if the angler should fail to restrain the rotary motion of the guide, the hook-setting action may cause line to be drawn-off along the guide and rotation of the guide in the reverse direction, i.e. the direction opposite that in which the guide is rotated to take-up the line.
The reverse direction of rotation of the guide usually entrains with it the entire drive and the crank, a mechanism with considerable inertia so that, when the hook-setting action is terminated by the angler, the inertia of the rotating guide, crank and drive may cause additional line to be unwound from the spool and create a problem with tangling, jamming of the moving parts and even loss of the fish. The recovery from this state can be time consuming and annoying to the angler, can result in a loss of line, and can even require disassembly of the reel.
In more general terms, a fishing reel can be understood to allow winding-up of the fishing line by rotating a drive arm in a counter-clockwise direction (if the drive arm is arranged on the left-hand side) while winding out of the line once the bail has been swung back from its casting position, is performed by winding the drive arm in a clockwise direction.
A mechanism, e.g. a ratchet, for preventing motion in the reverse unwinding direction, can be found in every fishing reel, the mechanism producing either a rasping noise or, no sound at all. Fishing reels are also known in which prevention of the reverse unwinding motion is controlled by a three-way selector switch. By means of this switch, three modes of operation can be selected:
Position 1: winding-up is allowed and is performed noiselessly; unwinding is likewise allowed.
Position 2: winding-up is allowed and is performed noiselessly; reverse motion is prevented.
Position 3: winding-up is allowed and generates a rasping sound; reverse rotation is prevented.
The method of inhibiting reverse rotation and hence the switch mechanism for locking the rotating guide against reverse rotation performs a very important function, namely, that of preventing line from drawing off the spool when the angler jerks the rod back to embed the hook in the mouth of the fish. Should line be released from the spool at this point, the line running to the fish would not be subject to the jerking action or force, but rather this jerking action would merely draw additional line from the spool.
However, frequently, the angler fails to set the switch to prevent reverse motion or rotation of the bail arm and the line guide in the reverse direction.
This can be because the angler has released the switch, because he wished to step back with his rod without pulling the line backward or, the line running into the water has been overstretched and the angler wishes to loosen it, or the angler wants to increase the slack of the line to signify the taking of the bait when the line is drawn taut. Under such circumstances, even the most experienced angler may neglect to reset the switch to prevent reverse rotation.
Consequently, the backward movement of the rod for setting of the hook may cause the stretching of the line and the elastic end of the fishing rod to bend, thereby causing the guide to rotate in the reverse direction and line to pay-off from the spool with all of the drawbacks enumerated above.